Following on the news that Don Knotts passed away comes word that
another TV veteran has died. Darren McGavin, who played roles from private eye Mike Hammer and Jerry
Lewis' Delicate Delinquet cop buddy in the 50s to the original Carl Kolchak in The Night Stalker
(let's forget about the awful remake this past season, shall we), died this
morning in California.
Besides all the real-life writers I read when I was a kid, I was also inspired by two TV scribes: Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Kolchak, who fought monsters and demons and tried to write stories about them, but no one would believe him.
Wow, Knotts and McGavin die within the same 24 hours. We've lost two classic stars.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-25-2006 @ 11:28PM
Ron H. said...
How very very sad. Losing our icons.
Tv and Movies will never be the same.
The lose of Darren Mcgavin is just one of many. to many.
We all have to go, and I guess if we can all live as long and as well as he did, we should all be grateful.
But the greed in me says I want him back. Hurts my heart.
You will be remembered, and missed for the rest of my life.
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2-25-2006 @ 11:32PM
Cory said...
Don't forget his most memorable (albeit non-TV role): Playing the dad in "A Christmas Story". Classic.
R.I.P. Darren.
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2-26-2006 @ 12:57AM
Tucker said...
Honestly, the role of Ralphie's father on A Christmas Story is probably one of the best cast and acted roles I've seen in film. Yeah, it's not an Oscar-worthy movie or anything, but it's one of my all-time favories and one of the most "true" Christmas movies out there. RIP, Darren, you are a legend and will be missed.
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2-26-2006 @ 4:50AM
pete said...
don't forget that these two greats were in "No deposit ,no return "together!
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2-26-2006 @ 5:23AM
pete said...
Don knotts and darren play bumbling thieves together.
in 1976, then die within 24 hours of each other...bizarre!
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2-26-2006 @ 11:23PM
K.Hutton said...
Thirty four years ago,on a January night,I was terrified and intrigued.I will always love and respect the man and the actor that gave me those feelings for the first time.God bless. (P.S.,A legend in Sci-Fi Horror.)
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2-28-2006 @ 9:14AM
Taro Kimura said...
Thank you Darren, my Mike Hammer.
So long Mike, who has been my idle of New York.
I love your Hammer with a back-bowed hat and hook-vented suits walking on the dark street in Manhattan. We all miss you. Good Bless You.
See You There, Mike.
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3-12-2006 @ 6:37AM
nick v said...
For a group of twenty young boys in Sydney Australia, Darren playing Kolchack will always be remembered and thirty plus years on we will never forget his billiant performances.
From afar his loss has saddened us.
R.I.P Mr Magavin.
Reply